UPDATED: New owners hope to put old charm back into Village Bake Shoppe

by jmaloni

Fri, Nov 11th 2011 09:25 pm

Michael and Lindsay Fiore pose with one of the from-scratch pies at the Village Bake Shoppe in Lewiston.

Why bake for the holidays when the Fiores will do it for you?

That's Michael Fiore's thought, anyway. He and his wife, Lindsay,
are the new owners of the Village Bake Shoppe at 417 Center St., Lewiston. On
Thursday morning, the store reopened with a new look, newly painted walls, the
existing staff ... and former owner Bridget Schroeder's famous recipes.

The Fiores have known Bridget for several years. They've taken the
no-mix recipes she mastered when she took over the store almost a decade ago
and recreated cakes, pies, cookies and brownies that "can't be easily
duplicated," Michael said Thursday.

Pairing high-end baked goods with a fresh décor, he said his plan
is to develop the store into "more of an attraction."

"I want the Village Bake Shoppe to be a destination," Michael
said.

To that end, he and his wife offer original-recipe desserts,
customized orders and, in the coming months, will serve breakfast sandwiches
and soups. The Fiores want their business to be a welcome stop for both the
local community and out-of-town visitors.

"We are their hometown bakery," he said, and noted his staff is
inclined to open early for those seeking coffee, or stay after-hours for
last-minute snackers.

Michael and Lindsay have local ties to Lewiston. They took over
the Village Bake Shoppe from the Hoferts, who decided to pursue other
interests.

"I've always wanted to open my own business," Michael said. The
Village of Lewiston was attractive, he added, because local customers "are
phenomenal."

"My wife and I absolutely love Lewiston," Michael said. "We want
to do their baking so they don't have to."

And, unlike Grandma, who's likely to bust out the wooden spoon if
guests aren't 100 percent satisfied, Michael welcomes any and all feedback from
patrons.

"I want them to tell me," he said. "My goal is to make everyone
happy."

The Village Bake Shoppe's hours of operation are from early
morning - around 6 a.m. - until 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and until
about 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call 754-2300 or "Like" the
store on Facebook.

The store will officially celebrate its re-opening with a
ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 2. This event will coincide with the
holiday tree lighting at Hennepin Park.